Why the Bears will, but may not need to, temper expectations for Mitchell Trubisky: ‘He is not a magic wand’

Why the Bears will, but may not need to, temper expectations for Mitchell Trubisky: ‘He is not a magic wand’

Bears players and coaches are making it clear this week that they don’t expect Mitchell Trubisky, and Mitchell Trubisky alone, to solve problems that’ve plagued this 1-3 team through the first quarter of the season.

It’s an exercise in tempering expectations for a rookie making his NFL debut, and it’s a smart and prudent message to send to the future of the franchise.

“Mitch Trubisky is a very good, young player but he is not a magic wand,” offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. “We needed to play better around him, that starts with me and goes to every position group. We’ve got to eliminate drops. We need to eliminate the negative runs and the negative plays because it’s really hard to play quarterback when it’s 2nd and 15 and it’s a known passing situation.”

Added running back Tarik Cohen: “I told him I don’t feel like he needs to be a superhero. We’re in this together as a team and we’re going to be supporting (him).”

But on the other hand, Aaron Rodgers’ name was invoked multiple times in referencing what Trubisky can do outside the pocket and on broken plays. Loggians said, “I think he’s going to be a special player.” The Bears’ offense will change with Trubisky under center, and while it may involve a more basic gameplan, it should be more dynamic.

Whatever the expectations are, Trubisky hasn’t shown a reason to think he can’t handle them. Trubisky hasn’t been phased by anything the Bears have challenged him with; in fact, he’s forced most of those challenges.

He went from being the Bears’ third-string quarterback at the beginning of training camp to earning first-team reps for the all-important third preseason game, then forced his way into being Mike Glennon’s backup when the season began (and almost forced his way into starting).

So the Bears, if they want, can set the expectations high for Trubisky. He’s already exceeded the ones previously put on him, after all.

“I think it’s the grit, the mental toughness — there’s so many characteristics that we could sit up here, you guys could name them, I could name them,” Loggains said. “Everything I’ve been around, being around Mitch, I believe he’s got ‘em.”

First and Final Thoughts: The Bears still have a bunch to play for

First and Final Thoughts: The Bears still have a bunch to play for

Welcome into First and Final Thoughts, one of our weekly columns with a title that's a little too on the nose. Here we'll have Insider J.J Stankevitz and Producers Cam Ellis and Paul Aspan give some insight into what's on their minds between games.

Final Thought on Week 15

J.J. Stankevitz: Not that this was lost on Sunday, but give the Bears credit for the resiliency they showed after squandering an 11-point lead and allowing the Packers to tie the game at 14 late in the third quarter. The Packers are a below-average team, but still have a great quarterback in Aaron Rodgers who's beat them so consistently over the last decade. But these are games good teams win -- not everything is going to be pretty or a comfortable wire-to-wire victory. That the Bears took a 10-point lead behind offense, defense and special teams shouldn't be lost, either. Sunday was another good win in a season full of them.

Paul Aspan: Following up on what JJ wrote about Mitch Trubisky laying the blueprint for a Super Bowl run if he plays the way he did on Sunday - 20-28 (71.4%), 235 pass yds, 2 TD, 0 INT - I did a little digging into the Trent Dilfer’s (2000 Ravens) and Brad Johnson’s (2002 Bucs) of the world. Here’s a look at the postseason numbers for quarterbacks playing with some of the best defenses to win a Super Bowl since 2000.

Those numbers are gross, and they all won a ring. Wilson is probably the best blueprint for Mitch, and that ballpark is well within reach. Say what you want about offenses taking over, but look no further than the last few weeks from the Saints and the Rams to see that we might not witness a bunch of 50-pointers in the playoffs. I still don’t love the idea of the Bears pulling out a win in the Superdome – especially not with two completely unnecessary gadget plays completely backfiring – but you’re sayyyyying there’s a chance.

Cam Ellis: Leonard Floyd isn't the best or most valuable player on the Bears' defense, but he deserves a whole bunch of credit for his improved play this season. He's put together back-to-back best games of the season against the Rams and the Packers, and he was arguably the most disruptive player on the unit during Sunday's NFC North clincher. He's been a monster of the last two months: 23 tackles, seven for a loss, four sacks, nine QB hits, two passes defended, and one interception for a TD.

Considering many were whispering bust coming into the season, being named Pro Bowl alternate seems like a fitting tribute to his impressive year.

First Thought on Week 15

Stankevitz: Don't count the 49ers as a win just yet. It's not just that they've beat the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks over the last two weeks -- that's a Broncos team that had legit playoff aspirations and a Seahawks team that will go to the playoffs -- but it's how they've done it. Start with this: Kyle Shanahan is dialing up some excellent calls for Nick Mullens, and his quarterback is delivering on them. Mullens, over the last two games, completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 607 yards with three touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 106.0. Keep an eye on the status of running back Matt Breida, too: He's been an important part of the 49ers' offense, though is dealing with an ankle injury. The chess match between Shanahan and Vic Fangio will be fascinating to watch in a game the Bears need to take seriously to keep their hopes alive of swiping a first-round bye from the Rams.

Aspan: So the Seahawks look a little less scary huh? I also can’t wait for the 49ers to be the “team to watch” again next season with a healthy Jimmy Garoppolo.

As for this week’s game, I’m just looking to see Mitch stack another consistent, solid outing and continue to build his confidence heading into the playoffs. It’s kind of a weird spot, similar to the Giants game (granted without Chase Daniel) – on the road, against a team that seemingly has nothing to play for - I don’t expect it to be a walk, but I’m pretty confident in a win.

I tried to figure out the best case Week 16 playoff scenario results for the Bears, so I checked out this chart and now I am totally lost. As broken as the Rams look, a first round bye still looks like a long shot, so I’m of the mind that as long as the Bears are likely heading towards the 3-seed, I think it’s in their best interest to be able to rest up in Week 17 with a possible back-to-back against the Vikings on Wild Card Weekend looming.

My potential Wild Card Weekend dangerous opponent rankings:

1. Eagles – This would mean the defending champs are coming in hot, with that destiny feel again.

3. Seahawks – If they end up 6th instead of 5th, they could be reeling a bit. But they’ve been there.

4. Redskins - LOL.

5. Panthers – obligated to include them since they’re not eliminated yet.

Ellis: I always find it fascinating to listen to teams try and dance around playing for seeding versus playing it safe. After Sunday's win the Bears continued stressing that they weren't satisfied, and the Rams' newfound vulnerability suddenly puts them in an interesting spot. You'd think LA could handle Arizona and San Fran to end the year, but a 13.5-point dog just went into The Coliseum and won on Sunday night, so crazier things have happened. A bye plus the Rams/Vikings at home sounds pretty nice, but after you already dodge two bullets with last week's Eddie Jackson and Aaron Lynch injuries, just how much more do you want to push your luck? This just feels like it's all leading toward a *weird* final Sunday matchup against Minnesota. The Vikings might be playing for their playoff lives, the Bears might be playing for top seed, and there's a nightmare scenario where the Bears losing in Week 17 means they'd get the Vikings 6 days later. The division is clinched, so now the games get stressful.

Those five players represent the biggest haul of Bears named to a Pro Bowl since 2013, which was also the last time a Bears defensive player made a Pro Bowl (that year was Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Kyle Long and Tim Jennings).

For the five players who did make the Pro Bowl roster, though, the honor is not only about personal achievements, but what this team has accomplished so far in 2018. Hicks, for example, was deserving of a Pro Bowl spot in 2017 — only the Bears were 5-11 and largely irrelevant in the NFL landscape.

But with that success, which started with an NFC North title clinched on Sunday, the players who made the Pro Bowl are all hoping to not actually play in the game, which comes sandwiched between the NFC Championship and the Super Bowl.

“Definitely want to play in the Super Bowl over the Pro Bowl,” Cohen said Tuesday afternoon.

Here’s how these five players earned the recognition of a Pro Bowl roster spot:

No player has had more of a transformative effect on his new team than Mack has had for the Bears in 2018. He’s the best player on the league’s best defense, consistently tormenting opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators with his ability to generate pressure. Less noticeable but important, too: Mack has been outstanding in run support, helping turn the offenses he faces into one-dimensional attacks against which he can pin his ears back and get after opposing quarterbacks in ideal pass-rushing downs.

Mack is probably behind Aaron Donald for NFC defensive player of the year honors, but there’s a legitimate argument to make that he’s been the most important defensive player in the NFL this year. The Bears were already a good defense before the Oakland Raiders traded him on Labor Day weekend; with him, they’re a great defense that stacks up to some of the best in franchise history (1985, 2006).

“Mack did a lot as far as his style of play, his work ethic and even his presence,” Jackson said. “When he’s on the field, guys triple team, double team him and release free guys up to be one on one or even with pressure, rushing the quarterback, they gotta throw the ball out fast when they see him coming off the edge. So he really helped us in a major, major way and we appreciate him for it.”

As for the biggest game: It’s hard to pick one, with both of Mack’s games against the Green Bay Packers standing out. But that Arizona game is regarded as a turning point for the season by some in the Bears’ locker room, and what Mack did was critical in sealing a 16-14 win, even over a team that would go on to be one of the worst in the NFL.

Akiem Hicks

Key stats: 6 sacks, 32 “stops”

Biggest game: Week 11 vs. Minnesota (1 sack, 5 TFLs, 2 QB hits)

Those “stops” are defined by Pro Football Focus as running plays that constitute a loss for the opposing offense, and no defensive lineman has more of them than Hicks. As has been the case every year he's been with the Bears, he’s proven to be an elite run defender with a nice knack for getting to the quarterback. The combination of Hicks and Mack has been hellacious for opposing offensive lines, who can’t double team both of them. Even if neither gets a sack, the amount of un-clean pockets opposing quarterbacks have had to deal with has been staggering thanks to the work put in by these two players.

But Hicks’ success isn’t just about Mack. He should’ve made the Pro Bowl in 2017, and is just as good — if not better — in 2018. It’s about time Hicks was recognized as one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL.

For Hicks’ biggest game: He thoroughly bullied the interior of Minnesota’s offensive line and made sure Kirk Cousins had to throw, which resulted in a ton of defensive success for this group. As Matt Nagy said the day after the game of Hicks’ performance:

“You could feel it. For him to really play the way he played…we knew he could do well, he’s been that way all year wrong, he’s a big man, he’s powerful and when he turns it on he’s tough to stop.”

Fuller topped all cornerbacks in fan votes, this despite not having a Twitter account to promote himself and get votes based on retweets — “I look at it like what you do on the field is what does it,” Fuller said. “I mean, all that stuff helps, but that’s not me.”https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/bears-pro-bowl-leading-cornerback-kyle-fuller-happy-let-his-play-do-talking)

Fuller is tied for the league lead in interceptions and has more passes defended than any other player this year. His emergence has been remarkable, going from being an injured afterthought in 2016 to a solid player in 2017 to one of the league’s best at his position in 2018. Not only is Fuller paid like one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, he’s playing like one, too.

We’ll give Fuller’s best game to what he did against the Lions on Thanksgiving, mostly for the game-sealing interception he had in the end zone in the fourth quarter. The Bears were worn down and in need of a big play, and Fuller delivered it.

“A great player, he’s got great situational understanding, great ball skills to be able to finish and somebody that has certainly made a lot of plays,” Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said. “I got a lot of respect for him.”

Eddie Jackson

Key stats: 6 interceptions, 3 defensive touchdowns

Biggest game: Week 11 vs. Minnesota (1 interception, 1 touchdown)

Jackson’s pick-six of Kirk Cousins — and the orchestra he conducted afterwards — was a seminal moment for the 2018 Bears, cementing this team as not only one of the best, but one of the most fun teams in the NFL. The ballhawking instincts the Bears bet on with a fourth-round pick in 2017 have blossomed in 2018, with Jackson second in the NFL with six interceptions. He'll likely finish the regular season with that total after suffering an ankle injury against Green Bay on Sunday, though the Bears don't believe the injury is season-ending, meaning there's a chance he returns for the playoffs.

The five defensive touchdowns he has in his two-year career are more than double what anyone else has in the same timespan. In fact, Jackson has the most touchdowns of any defensive player over the last four seasons — and that’s for a guy who spent 2015 and 2016 in college at Alabama. In fact, since 2010, only five defensive players have more touchdowns than him: Aqib Talib, Janoris Jenkins, Malcolm Jenkins, DeAngelo Hall and Captain Munnerlyn — and all of those players were in the league in 2010 besides Jenkins, who debuted in 2012.

“Hell of a player, young guy,” Mack said. “I didn’t know he was that young. He’s so mature. He attacks the game like a 10-year vet. It’s very impressive.”

Tarik Cohen

Key stats: 413 punt return yards, 8 total touchdowns

Biggest game: Week 15 vs. Green Bay (Two punt returns, 53 yards)

Let’s be honest here — Cohen is in the Pro Bowl not only because he’s a solid punt returner, but because he’s one of the most electrifying offensive players in the NFL. Cohen’s 413 punt return yards lead the NFL, and the 44-yard return he had on Sunday against the Packers all but sealed the Bears’ 10th win of the season.

But where Cohen has become a legit star in the NFL is what he can do all over the field, be it running, receiving, returning or throwing. His “Oompa Loompa” touchdown throw to Anthony Miller against the New York Giants was remarkable, just as a 70-yard dash on a screen for a touchdown was against the New York Jets. He’s one of the most fun players in the NFL to watch, and should be a blast to see participate in the Pro Bowl (that is, unless the Bears make the Super Bowl).

While Cohen does not have a punt return touchdown this year, he’s been smart about taking what’s in front of him. He’s averaging 13.3 yards per return and has been happy to take a 10-15 yard gain rather than risking a loss while trying to break a 50-yard return.

“When you can have a punt returner knock off a 94-yard touchdown run and he gets nothing else, and his number is still very, very high,” special teams coordinator Chris Tabor said. “That’s why I don’t look at stats. I look at the tape, and the tape will tell you the story. And I think his tape shows he has been very consistent. He’s done a nice job with his decision-making skills, and he’s a guy when the ball is in his hands anything can happen. Those to me sound like Pro Bowl traits and qualities.”